


Second Shots

by SerStolas



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2018-09-06 08:16:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8742073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerStolas/pseuds/SerStolas
Summary: It's been over a year and a half since Audra Shepard lost her husband Thane in an accident, and in trying to move on with life, she moves to a small city in the California mountains to be closer to her stepson, Kole Krios, his wife, and new baby.  She's surprised to find an old friend in town, and even more surprised when she discovers an old lover from her youth lives in town as well.Kaidan Alenko has moved to Crucible, California after a bad divorce for a fresh start.  He never expected an old flame to move to town and turn his life upside down again.  Both older and wiser now, are Shepard and Kaidan willing to give things another shot, or will it all go down in flames?Female Shepard, Modern AU - This may be a bad idea but my muse wouldn't leave me alone.





	1. Crucible

**Author's Note:**

> Second Shots  
> A Mass Effect Modern AU Fan Fic  
> Pairing: Kaidan Alenko/FShepard  
> Disclaimer: Bioware owns Mass Effect

Headlights of the old Jeep illuminated the sign on the side of the road.

Crucible, population 20,000

“Turn right in one mile.” The GPS chirped at Shepard as she drive down the almost empty state highway. At 10pm on a weeknight there weren't many people on the road around here, though she knew someone should still be on duty at the hotel she was staying at in Crucible. 

It was her first trip to Crucible, and she was thankful GPS still worked way out here. The trip from San Diego had taken almost an hour and a half, and the last half hour had been hill country. She still wasn't entirely comfortable with long distance driving, but since her stepson had moved out here to be near his wife's family, she didn't have much of a choice if she wanted to see him.

Shepard had spent the past year and a half working through therapy, both physical and emotional, since the car accident that had killed her husband and left her clinging to life. The therapist had suggested a visit to her stepson and daughter in law, and their new baby, would do her some good. Shepard wasn't entirely sure if she agreed, but Iris insisted she come out to see the baby.

She heaved a sigh of relief when she finally pulled into the hotel parking lot and got out of the driver's seat. Crucible was big enough to have a few chain hotels, and this one was an extended stay so it offered a suite at a fairly decent price, by the week, if Shepard intended to stay in Crucible for any amount of time.

Military retirement and a small settlement from the car accident wouldn't carry her for much longer, and she knew she'd have to figure out where she wanted to settle down and find a decent job soon, but for now, she chose not to worry about it.

She shoved her hands into her hoodie pockets and walked into the front office, exchanging only enough words with the hotel staff to secure her room and key and pay for her lodging, then retreated out to the car to grab her duffle bag and head to her room.

The key card opened to a bland tan and cream colored room, but it had a bed, small kitchenette, table, and loveseat, more room that Shepard really needed for herself. She dropped her duffle bag and checked her phone, noting a missed text message from her stepson. 

When Shepard had first met Kole Krios years before, he'd been a young man with a chip on his shoulder. Now he was a father with a steady job working for his father-in-law and a family of his own. Oddly, he'd taken to Shepard readily enough when she'd married his father, and she'd been honored to call him family. She would never replace his mother, but the two of them got along well enough that after Thane had been killed in the accident, Kole and Shepard had remained in contact. 

Shepard flipped on the bathroom light and stared at the scarred visage in the mirror. The entire left side of her body was covered in burn scars from where the car had burst into flames after being hit when a tanker truck had run a red light. Thane had been killed instantly, the doctors told her later. They weren't entirely sure how she'd managed to survive.

Shepard had met Thane Krios while stationed in San Diego. They'd dated for six months before they'd gotten married, and when Thane had been diagnosed with a degenerative disorder, she'd retired to help with his care. Then a year and a half ago they'd been on their way home from a date when the tanker had hit their car. In an instant Shepard's life and been torn apart. Thane should have had a least a few years left, but in the end, it wasn't his disease that had killed him.

“Focus Shepard,” she told her reflection. She was here to visit Kole and Iris and celebrate a new life, not dwell on the past. Hopefully, the therapist was right, and this change of scenery, and seeing family, would help. She knew she'd been drinking too much lately, and Thane would have hated that.

Tomorrow she'd go and see Kole, Iris, and little Irikah...tomorrow, maybe she'd see what the future looked like again.

~~

Shepard stood outside the Citadel Bar and Grill, hands stuffed into her pockets while she waited for Kole, Iris, and Irikah. She'd promised to buy them all dinner tonight and Iris had suggested this place. Evidently it was a favorite of Kole and Iris, and given the small crowd she saw, rather popular on weekends. She'd been in town for two days and had visited her stepson and daughter in law at their house the first two days, but Iris insisted that Shepard needed to see a bit of Crucible while she was here, so Saturday, they went out.

They'd see a local museum and gone apple picking at a local orchard. They'd parted ways long enough for Shepard to go to the hotel and change and Kole and Iris to go home and get more supplies for Irikah before they met for dinner.

She smiled when she saw them pull up in their Rav4 and went to the passenger side back door to get Irikah out while Kole and Iris climbed out of the car. Iris seemed relieved enough to relinquish carrying Irikah's carseat to Shepard for now. 

“Get everything you need?” Shepard asked Iris as she carried the carseat and her granddaughter into the restaurant.

“More formula, diapers, extra change of clothes,” Kole said as he held the door. “Babies are messy, and expensive.”

“Wouldn't know,” Shepard replied lightly. “I didn't get a child until he was a teenager and passed the baby stage, though you were still fairly messy.”

Iris laughed. “He's still messy, Audra,” she told her mother in law. 

“Some things never change,” Kole shrugged. He glanced at the young woman at the stand. “Three and a baby please, Kelly.”

“Of course, Kole,” the woman replied with a smile. She peered at Shepard curiously.

“My stepmother,” Kole said in reply to Kelly's glance. “Here visiting the new baby.”

“Well, ma'am, welcome to Crucible,” Kelly smiled at Shepard.

“Just Shepard,” she replied. “I got called ma'am enough in the military.”

“Shepard?” a familiar voice asked and Shepard blinked as she turned to see Zaeed Massani coming out from behind the bar near the front of the restaurant.

She'd met Zaeed years before when she'd been deployed in the Middle East. The former British Army officer was the last person she ever expected to see in a middle sized California mountain town.

“Massani, what the hell are you doing here?” Shepard asked the older British man on the back. “It's been what, ten years?”

“Something like that,” Zaeed replied. He glanced at Kole and Iris. “You're here with Kole and Iris? Old friends?”

“Family, actually,” Kole replied. “Shepard was married to my father. You two know each other?”

“Served with Zaeed in the Middle East,” Shepard replied. “Damn good to see you again, Zaeed. I ask again, what are you doing in Crucible?”

Zaeed shrugged. “Funny thing, Jack's from Crucible, evidently. When her uncle died a few years back, he willed her Citadel. We flew in to see the place and never left. Crucible has a way of growing on you.”

“Shit, you two get married?” Shepard asked in surprise. Dr. Jacqueline Nought had been one of the psychiatrists stationed in the Middle East when she'd been out there. Jack and Zaeed had met while the three of them had been stationed on the same joint base.

“Not yet,” Zaeed replied with a shrug. “Maybe someday.”

“Well let me know if you do,” Shepard said. She gave him a faint grin. “I'll have to catch up with you two tomorrow if you're free, I don't want my family to starve.”

“Course not,” Zaeed laughed. “You all enjoy dinner. Call the restaurant tomorrow, Shep, and we can figure out when to meet up.”

Shepard nodded before following Kole, Iris, and a mystified Kelly, to a table. Iris took the car seat and sleeping Irikah from Shepard and settled onto one side of the table while Kole and Shepard took the other two chairs.

“Seems you know more than just us here,” Iris said cheerfully to Shepard as they took a glance at their menus. “Maybe another reason to move up here, hmm?”

It wasn't the first time in the past two days Iris had brought up the idea. Right now Shepard was living in a small apartment in San Diego. She'd sold the home she'd shared with Thane a year ago, unable to live every day in a place so full of memories. Iris had been trying to convince her to move closer to them for awhile.

“Would need a job first,” Shepard replied absently as she glanced at her menu.

“It's a city of 20,000 people, you can find something,” Iris replied. “Just give it some more thought, okay?”

Shepard lifted her brows at her daughter in law. “I'll think about it,” she promised at last.


	2. Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard helps her daughter in law take the baby to the Doctors and runs into someone she did not expect to.
> 
> EDITED a bit to adjust ages: Many thanks to Swordsoul2000 for pointing out a rather bad math error and why I shouldn't be writing at 1am.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second Shots  
> A Mass Effect Modern AU Fan Fic  
> Pairing: Kaidan Alenko/FShepard  
> Disclaimer: Bioware owns Mass Effect

“No, Lisa, don't....oh dear.”

Mrs. O'Neil looked utterly mortified as her four year old threw up all over the doctor.

Dr. Kaidan Alenko gave her a faint but reassuring smile as he set the ear thermoeter he'd used to one side and opened a box of wipes he kept in the exam room and carefully wiped little Lisa clean and then neatly shucked his white coat and tossed it into a nearby bin. “It's alright, Mrs. O'Neil, though I'd definitely say Lisa has the flu. Make sure she gets plenty rest and fluids and give her Tylenol to keep her fever down. I'll send an anti-viral prescription to your pharmacy for her. Give me a call if she isn't doing better by the end of next week, alright?”

Mrs. O'Neil looked faintly relieved, both because Lisa didn't have any vomit on her own clothing, and to have a diagnosis. Once patient and mother were off, Dr. Alenko sighed and shut the cover on the bin, knowing he'd have to have to wash that coat at the end of the day, but that was why he always wore a white coat over his clothing, and why the practice kept bins in the exam room, just in case.

Kaidan Alenko glanced at the clock with some relief, noting it was almost 4pm, and he only had one more appointment for the day. He still had a number of records and reports to go over this evening, but he should be out of here by 6:30 tonight.

“Hey Cortez, we need a disinfect in room 2,” Kaidan said as he stepped out of the exam room.

Steve Cortez, one of the three Rns they had at the practice nodded and grabbed their bucket of cleaning supplies before heading in. Kaidan headed to his office to grab a spare coat.

It was fall and kids were starting to get sick again now that school was in session. It always kept him busy, which was good because it didn't give him a lot of time to think about anything other than work during the day, but it could also be exhausting.

Kaidan had joined Crucible Family Practice two years ago when he'd moved to Crucible in an effort to get away from Vancouver. It was so far from his home town and his past, an entirely country away, and somewhere entirely unlike anywhere that Rahna would have ever wanted to live. 

Originally he'd intended to to move back to San Francisco. He'd originally attended med school at Stamford and he liked the city, in part because it was far away from his parents and all of his father's expectations (one reason he'd decided to attend school outside of Canada to begin with), but when his mother had asked him to come back to Vancouver the first time, he'd caved, but after his divorce from Rahna, he'd needed to get as far away as he could.

When Dr. Liara T'soni had decided to open a family practice in her hometown of Crucible, California, she'd offered Kaidan a position in the practice. Attracted by the comfortable atmosphere of the small mountain city, Kaidan had accepted.

Two years later he was pleased he'd made the decision. While his love life left something to be desired, he'd made a lot of friends in Crucible. Rahna had run him through the ringer, and this place helped sooth the sore edges she'd left with her departure.

He opened his laptop and checked the notes on his tablet, sending the necessary prescription in for Lisa and notating her charts. He checked the schedule and saw he was seeing Irikah Krios for her six month check-up. He breathed some relief, since none of the notes indicated that the infant was sick. Just a normal check up, though she would have to have her next round of immunizations. He sent a message for Nurse Tali Zorah to prepare the shots and reviewed the chart for Irikah before he went in to see her.

At 4:15 he headed into exam room 4. He'd expected Kole and Iris Krios to be there with their daughter, and was vaguely surprised to see that Kole wasn't there. Another woman had accompanied Iris today, and she was holding Irikah and bouncing her lightly on one hip as she spoke to Iris.

He hid a frown as he considered the woman. She looked to be in her mid to late 40s, shortly cropped black hair and hazel eyes. The features that stood out the most was the rather extensive burn scars on the left side of her body. He could see the scarring extended up from her neck all the way up to her hair line, and the lower part of her left arm he saw was also covered in scarring. He wondered what had burned her that her scarring was so extensive.

“Dr. Alenko,” Iris greeted him with a smile. She took Irikah back from the older woman who moved to lean back against the wall and out of the way.

“Mrs. Krios,” Kaidan greeted her. “How's Irikah doing today?”

“Growing like a weed,” Iris replied. “I brought the Tylenol just in case since she'll be getting shots today.”

Kaidan nodded his assent as he glanced at the scarred woman leaning against the wall.

“Ah, this is my mother in law, Audra Shepard. Audra, this is Dr. Kaidan Alenko,” Iris introduced them.

Kaidan felt as if he'd been splashed with cold water. He knew that name, and he could match it with those eyes now, though his memories of those eyes were from much more intimate settings than an exam room.

Audra Shepard shifted off her left leg, wincing slightly as if feeling a twinge of pain before she offered Kaidan a slight smile. “Dr. Alenko. Kole had to work today and I offered to come. With a fussy baby and paper work Iris and I thought it might be easier with two sets of hands here.”  
“Shepard,” Kaidan said her name like a familiar tone before he realized what he was doing.

“Aye, Alenko, it's been what, 20 years probably? At least I know my granddaughter is in good hands,” Shepard replied.

“Granddaughter?” he asked in surprise. Iris was standing open mouthed at the exchange as she bounced her daughter.

“Well step-granddaughter,” Shepard said ruefully. “Kole and Iris are kind enough to let me be a part of her life.” 

“Ahh,” Kaidan nodded in understanding. He recalled that Kole Krios's father had been killed in a car accident not quite two years before. He wondered if that's where Shepard had been burned. He shook his head and turned back to Iris. “Sorry about that, Mrs. Krios. I knew Shepard back when I was a medical student.”

“I wondered,” Iris said, looking relieved. “So, as Irikah is six months, do you think we can start on fruits and vegetables now?” she asked, changing the subject, though the look she shot Shepard said she would be asking her mother-in-law questions later.

When Iris and Shepard were gone, off with a fussy Irikah after shots, Kaidan sat at his desk wondering how a woman he'd had a relationship with almost two decades ago had suddenly reappeared in his life.

He'd still been attending Stamford for med school and she'd been stationed at Naval Air Station Alameda. They'd met at a bar one night where they'd both been singing karaoke. Their relationship had lasted a little over six months, before Shepard had been reassigned to Norfolk. They'd tried to keep in contact but with her Naval career it wasn't meant to be. He'd graduated and moved back to Canada and lost track of her.

He'd been married and divorced since then, and from the sound of it Shepard had been widowed. He wondered idly if he'd see her around town again when she visited the Krioses. 

~~

“What was that?” Iris asked as she and Shepard walked back to the suv.

“With Dr. Alenko?” Shepard asked, knowing exactly what Iris was asking.

“Yeah, not every day your mother-in-law knows the transplant from British Columbia,” Iris replied, but she smiled as she said it.

Shepard shrugged as she locked Irikah's carseat into it's base and checked the girl's carseat harnass before shutting the door and walking to the driver's side while Iris climbed in back with her daughter.

Shepard looked at her daughter-in-law's curious brown gaze in the rear view mirror.

“Kaidan and I dated for a few months a long time ago,” she replied. “Back when I was stationed near San Francisco and long before I met Thane.”

“Well I gathered the last part,” Iris replied in an amused tone. “He's what, 46? Not that much older than you. Single too...well divorced anyway.”

Shepard's brows shot up. “You are not going to try and set me up with my granddaughter's doctor, Iris.”

“I can try,” Iris replied with a grin. “Particularly if it wasn't a bad breakup.”

Shepard shook her head. “Not bad just...he wanted one thing and I wanted another at the time, and my frequent moves with the Navy didn't help. It just wasn't meant to be.”

“Well maybe this is a second shot at things,” Iris replied. “Particularly since you've decided to move to Crucible.”

Shepard shrugged again.

She had decided to move to Crucible, to be near what family she did have. Shepard didn't have any blood relatives of her own but a distant cousin, she'd been an orphan and joined the military at 18. Iris and Kole both knew she dealt with some PTSD from previous deployments, and add the car accident and Thane's death on top of it, she hadn't been handling herself well in San Diego. They wanted her close back, where she'd have a support network.

Iris also didn't bring up Shepard's suicide attempt last year, just before Iris had found out she was pregnant with Irikah. Shepard had spent some time in the psychiatric ward after that incident and the doctors had recommended more contact with family and friends, given how she'd isolated herself before the attempt.

“Not sure how great an idea that is, Iris,” Shepard said as she pulled out of the parking lot and maneuvered the car towards the pharmacy. “Given my incident a year ago and everything else, I'm not exactly the kind of woman who most people would want to date.”

“You never know,” Iris said. “It might be good for you.”

“For now I'm just going to focus on living,” Shepard replied. “And the last thing I need is for my head to be running in circles tonight over a guy when I start a new job tomorrow.” She smiled slightly into the rear view mirror, forcing some lightness into her tone.

“Alright, Audra, I won't try and set you up,” Iris replied. “Zaeed and Jack would want you to be fully awake while your manning the bar tomorrow at the Crucible.”

“Exactly,” Shepard said.


	3. Run Ins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard babysits and runs into Kaidan.
> 
> I can attest to kids getting attached to toys that quickly in the store, as my own infant did years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second Shots  
> A Mass Effect Modern AU Fan Fic  
> Pairing: Kaidan Alenko/FShepard  
> Disclaimer: Bioware owns Mass Effect

Shepard set the box in her arms down in the middle of the living room and looked around the apartment. A few boxes were stacked neatly against one living room wall, but most of them had been placed in the apartment’s second bedroom since Shepard had yet to buy any furniture for that room. This box was the last of the load from her condo in San Diego. The empty condo was on the market now and her realtor promised it would probably well within a month or two thanks to location. 

After Kole and Iris had convinced her to move to Crucible, there didn’t seem to be much reason to keep the condo she had shared with Thane in San Diego. She had Kole had spent a few days going through the belongings in the condo and Kole took a few things home, mainly mementos Thane and a few pieces of furniture. Shepard had downsized from there, keeping personal belongings and a few pieces of furniture to take with her to Crucible, and sold or donated everything else. 

The choice to move hadn’t been a difficult one. The condo felt empty without Thane, and Crucible offered her a fairly fresh start close to what little family she had. She didn’t really need a two bedroom apartment, but she did babysit Irikah occasionally, something her psychiatrist had cleared given the events of last year, and having a guest bedroom wasn’t a bad idea in case one of her old friends wanted to visit.

Case in point, James Vega would be sleeping on her couch tonight since she didn’t have a bed for the spare room yet. Her old friend from the military glanced around the drably painted apartment and then at her.

“So you gonna be alright here, Lola?” the ex-marine asked, faint concern in his brown eyes.

She smiled at James, her smiles coming more readily since she’d decided to move to Crucible than in the past two years since Thane’s death. “I think so, James,” she promised. “I’ve got friends and family here, more than I did in San Diego, and I’ll start a new job tomorrow night. I promise you I’m not as bad off as I was that first year after Thane died.”

James had been the one to discover her after the suicide attempt, on a visit to see how his old commanding officer was doing after her spouse had died. They both knew she’d probably be dead now if he hadn’t found her.

“You better not be that bad off, Lola,” James rumbled as he crossed his arms. “It was..”

“Bad, I know,” Shepard replied, looking James in the eye. “You’ve been a good friend, James, better than I deserve sometimes.”

James snorted. “Don’t you say things like that, Lola. Thane knew your worth, the rest of us do too. We like having you around.”

Shepard gave him a long look then nodded. “Thanks James.” She shifted more weight onto her right leg to take it off her prosthetic left limb. “Come on, there’s beer in the fridge for you. I’m go going to grab a soda, then I owe you dinner at least for helping me move.”

“I won’t say no to a cold one,” James replied, following her into the kitchen. “Where are you workin’ anyways?”

“Citadel Bar and Grill,” she replied. “They needed another bar tender for evenings and weekends. It’s owned by some old friends of mine.”

“That a good idea?” James asked.

Shepard shrugged. “I haven’t touched alcohol in a year, James, and I’m not really tempted by being around it anymore, else there wouldn’t be beer in my fridge for you. Besides, I have to stay sober while on the clock anyway.” She tilted her head. “And sometimes I see someone that reminds me why I quit drinking to begin with.”

“If you’re sure,” James replied, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

“I’m sure,” she promised him as she handed him the bottle opener.  
~~

Tuesday night might seem an odd time for a date, but Kole and Iris were limited by when one of the grandparents could babysit, and Iris’s father was fairly busy with his landscaping business right now. Since Shepard worked weekend evenings and a least a few nights a week, Monday and Tuesday were her only free days this week.

So Tuesday evening it was.

Shepard pulled into the driveway and slipped out of her old jeep. Iris opened the front door as she walked up the front walk and smiled at her mother in law. “Thanks Audra. It’s been awhile since Kole and I had a date night.”

“With a seven month old, I’m not surprised,” Shepard replied. “Y’all ready to go?”

“Yeah,” Kole responded as he came into the living room. As Iris let Shepard in, she noticed that Irikah was asleep in the pack n play by the couch. 

“She’ll probably sleep another hour to half hour then wake up for dinner,” Iris said as she grabbed her purse from a side table. “Formula is on the counter and baby food is in the cabinet next to the microwave. You know where everything else is.”

“I do,” Shepard agreed, giving Iris and Kole both a hug. “You two have fun. I’ve got my cell on and I’ll call if anything comes up.”

“Thank’s again, Audra,” Kole told her. “We’ll see you in a few hours.”

“You two have fun,” Shepard replied as she saw them out.

A few minutes later she dropped onto the couch and watched her granddaughter sleeping in the playpen. She knew that Kole and Iris were heading to dinner and then a movie, then would head home for the night. Shepard flipped on the baby monitor in the living room and grabbed the handset before heading into the kitchen. As they’ve previously discussed, Iris had left a list of things she wouldn’t mind Shepard doing (as Shepard didn’t want overstep any boundaries with her daughter in law).

She unloaded the dishwasher and reloaded it, starting a cycle before she headed into the laundry room to start on clothing. She knew with a seven month old, both Iris and Kole weren’t getting a lot of sleep and if she could help out with a few household chores, she would.

Forty five minutes later she heard stirring on the monitor and headed back into the living room to see Irikah stirring. As Shepard leaned over the side of the playpin, the baby gave her a gummy grin, though Shepard saw one tooth starting to peek through her gums. Shepard grinned and lifted the girl carefully up, taking a sniff. 

“Whoa, darling, you need a new diaper, don’t you?” she asked the infant. Irikah grabbed at Shepard’s cheek with one hand awhile she gnawed on her other one. Shepard carried the infant into the nursery and set her down, carefully buckling her onto the changing table before grabbing a diaper and wipes from the shelf beneath. After Irikah was in a clean diaper and the dirty one tossed into the diaper pail, she carried the girl towards the kitchen, casting a glance over her shoulder at the changing table as she did.

“Looks like you could use a few more diapers,” she told the baby in a conversational tone. “I’ll take you out after dinner and pick up a pack.” She grinned. “And maybe a toy. Your parents don’t seem to mind too much when I spoil you.”

Irikah grinned and babbled at her as Shepard set her in the high chair.

After a bowl of apples and rice cereal and a bottle, and a clean shirt, Shepard locked Irikiah into her carseat and grabbed the diaper bag (never leave without a diaper bag, she thought). Once the carseat was secure in its base in the back seat of Shepard’s jeep, the two headed towards the local chain discount store. The trip probably could have waited, but why Shepard knew she had permission to take the infant out, she wouldn’t be able to go shopping again for another few days, and why make Iris and Kole pay for more diapers than they had to?

The car trip was short, and soon enough Shepard had Irikah and her carseat settled in the large part of the cart and was making faces at the infant to make her laugh as Shepard pushed her through the aisles of the store. She got a few amused looks as she pushed Irikah towards the baby section of the store, but her attention remained primarily on the girl.

“Couple of packs of diapers, you think, Irikah?” she asked her granddaughter as she plucked box of diapers and then another off the shelf and put them on the underside of the cart. “That’ll last a little while at least.”

Irikah waved her hands at Shepard as if trying to grab something.

“Right, I promised you a toy, didn’t I?” Shepard wheeled the cart a few aisles down to the selection of age appropriate toys. Brightly colored stuff animals, carseat hanging toys, and teething rings lay before them. Shepard unbuckled Irikah and lifted her out of the carseat, holding the girl so she could see the array of toys to see what caught the girl’s eye.

Irikah reached out towards a stuffed blue monkey with a tail you pulled to play a song and made a demanding sound at her grandmother. Shepard checked the tag. Three months plus. With a shrug she balanced the girl on her hip and pulled the toy off the rack, offering it to Irikah. Irikah giggled and grabbed at the monkey’s leg. 

“Guess you’ve decided,” Shepard said dryly as she maneuvered the child back into her carseat and Irikah stubbornly refused to give up the toy. “Let’s go and buy it for you then.”

She started push the cart towards the front of the store before she heard a surprised voice say her name.

“Shepard?”

She paused and glanced over to see Kaidan Alenko standing a few feet away, just along the divide between regular store and grocery portion of the store, holding a loaf of bread.

“Alenko,” she greeted him, leaning forward slightly on the cart to take some weight off her leg. “How are you doing?”

“Fine,” he replied. “Surprised to see you.”

Shepard wondered idly what thoughts were going through his head as she watched the doctor she’d dated so long ago. He’d aged well, she noted, the sides of his hair going salt and pepper but the top of his curls still thick and black. Thane’s hair had been a much lighter color, she thought.

“I’ve got family here,” Shepard replied in a dry tone as she began to move the cart lightly back and forth to amuse Irikah. “You can’t be that surprised to see me in Crucible. I just moved to town permanently last week, actually.”

“Kole and Iris Krios, right?” Kaidan asked, filling in what was becoming an awkward space. “You were married to Kole’s father?” He paused after asking the question and looked at her sheepishly. “Sorry, it really isn’t any of my business.”

Shepard shrugged. “You can ask, Kaidan, I don’t mind. We parted on friendly terms , didn’t we?” She nodded lightly in answer to his question. “I was married to Thane Krios, yes.” Her expression dimmed. “I married him when Kole was still in high school. Unfortunately we lost Thane a few years ago.”

“I heard about that,” Kaidan said. “My sympathies.” He peered at Irikah. “So you’ve got Irikah tonight?”

Perhaps he was asking because he was curious, or to make sure his patient was in good hands, Shepard thought idly, or perhaps more because he was curious about where Shepard’s life had gone since they’d parted ways all those years ago.

“For a few hours,” Shepard replied. “Irikah and I are having some quality grandma and granddaughter time.” She glanced at the girl who was chewing on the toy’s leg and winced. “Which reminds me I need to go pay for that monkey before she eats it.”

“I’ll see you around then, if you’re living in town now,” Kaidan said. “Have a good night.”

“G’night Alenko,” Shepard replied, pushing the cart away. Once he was out of earshot she leaned down and whispered to her granddaughter. “Thanks for reminding me why we’re here, little one…it feels decidedly odd running into an old flame sometimes.”

Kaidan watched Shepard’s retreating back as she pushed her granddaughter towards the front of the store, thinking on how far removed the two of them were from their younger selves. So here they were, twenty years later, him divorced and she a widow…but she still made his heart beat a little faster the way she had the first time he’d seen her, all those years ago.

He wondered what that might mean, if anything.


	4. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard gets some visitors at work and reflects on her own current situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second Shots  
> A Mass Effect Modern AU Fan Fic  
> Pairing: Kaidan Alenko/FShepard  
> Disclaimer: Bioware owns Mass Effect

Saturday night, 21:30 hours. The Citadel Bar and Grill would be closing at 23:00 hours, and as late as it was, Shepard didn’t expect they’d get many more customers this evening. She poured another Captain and Coke for a customer and passed it to the waitress as she watched the small crowd with their eyes glued to the college football game playing on the televisions around the main dining area. 

She started wiping the bar down as she watched the customers, waiting to see if anyone would come up and order a drink or if a server would put an order in. This was a relatively quiet Saturday evening, though Citadel certainly wasn’t the only bar in town. She’d probably get a couple more orders before close.

She glanced up as the front door swung open, revealing two familiar figures she was a little surprised to see in Crucible. One of them spoke to Kelly for a moment before the two wandered over to the bar. 

“Vega, Vakarian,” she greeted the two former marines. The big marine grinned at her while the tall, lanky Vakarian flashed his trademark smirk. “What are you two doing in Crucible this time of night?”

“You said you were off tomorrow,” Vakarian replied in his wry tone. “Figured we’d come up and visit.”

“And it couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning?” Shepard asked. “What are you two ordering? You ain’t sitting at my bar just chatting.”

Vega laughed and ordered a tall lager while Vakarian ordered brandy. Shepard never did understand Vakarian’s taste for brandy, but she also never argued with it. She got both their drinks and set them on napkins in front of the two men on the bar.

“So, Crucible, 21:30 at night. Why?” she asked again.

“Leaves more time to hang out tomorrow,” Vakarian replied with a shrug. “You know we hate getting up early after all those years in the marines.”

“You two are crazy,” she told them. “And one of you is gonna have to sleep on the couch. I only have one guest bedroom.”

Vega and Vakarian exchanged a glance then shrugged. “I think we can make due, Lola,” Vega replied.

“Hey, what are you two sorry asses doing in my restaurant?” Jack’s harsh tone sounded from the door leading to the kitchen, though the three at the bar could tell from her expression she wasn’t unhappy to see the visitors.

“Visiting Shepard, and maybe you and Zaeed,” Vega replied. “Good to see you two Jack.”

Jack sauntered out from the doorway and behind the bar next to Shepard. She grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels as she did and poured herself a finger. Shepard made a mental note to tally that on the inventory. “Well welcome to Crucible,” Jack said. She gave them a cocky grin. “At least you two had the sense to come to the best bar and grill in town.”

“Or the one we know we won’t be run out of,” Vega told the former Navy doctor. “Though from what I’ve seen you’ve got a good menu.”

“So order,” Shepard told them as she made a notation in the computer regarding the two most recent sales and Jack’s own drink. “We’re still open for a little over an hour.”

~~

Shepard sighed as she maneuvered the slight inebriated Vakarian into the back of her SUV while Vega leaned back in the front passenger seat. After their drinking she’d decided they were safer riding back to her apartment in her car and could pick theirs up in morning. “Some women are on dates tonight. Instead I’m driving two drunk marines back to my place so they can sleep off the alcohol,” she muttered.

“Sorry Lola, you just aren’t our type,” Vega replied with a grin. “That and it would be awkward banging someone who used to be your CO. I’m sure you could find a date if you really wanted to though.”

Shepard snorted. “With this scarring? I doubt it. Oh, let’s not forget the prosthetic leg and mental issues.”

She bucked Vakarian in and walked around to the front seat of the jeep. She slid in and took a long swig of coffee before putting the key into the ignition and starting the vehicle. 

“That’ss where you’re wrong,” Garrus Vakarian said from the back seat, his words slightly slurred from alcohol. “Bet you could find someone if you tried. “I just won’t date an officer and James here doesn’t date girls.”

She cast a glance at Vega as she shifted the jeep in gear and maneuvered out of the parking lot. “Last I heard you weren’t into dating anyone, Vega.”

James shrugged as he stared up at the car ceiling. “Now that I’m out of the service I might, if the right guy came along.”

For some reason that reminded Shepard of Steve Cortez, a nurse who occasionally came into the Citadel Bar and Grill on Friday evenings with the other nurses at the local family practice. The man’s quiet confidence struck her as a good match to Vega’s brash and flirtatious manner.

“I know a guy I’d set you up with,” she said idly as drove. “But he lives here in Crucible, not San Diego.” 

James surprised her with a glance and a shrug. “Sure, why not. Been years since I’ve actually been on a date.”

“I’ll ask you again when you’re sober,” Shepard replied dryly. “I learned along ago not to hold you do things you say while your drunk.”

She heard Garrus chuckle in the back seat. “It would be hilarious if you actually managed to convince Vega to move somewhere away from the beach for a guy though.”

“You’re a hoot as always, Garrus.” Shepard shook her head at her two old military buddies. 

Somehow she got them back to her apartment and settled on the couch and in the guest room before heading to her own room. She wandered into the bathroom and flipped on the light, staring at her scarred visage for a moment in the mirror then snorted. “Pretty sure no guy needs the amount of baggage I’m carrying around,” she murmured.

She knew Thane would have been okay with the scarring, the disability, everything else, but that was just the way Thane had been, calm and accepting, even in the hardest of circumstances. It was how he’d dealt with his own illness, embracing his new reality rather than denying it. Nights like this, she missed his calm presence the most.

“Well, I think you’d be happy with me at least living again,” she murmured to her husband’s memory. She’d made a good move, she had family, she had friends, she wasn’t constantly trapped in her own head anymore. 

Now if she could just figure out how to actually move on.


	5. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part of the gang makes plans for a hike.
> 
> In my mind, Crucible exists not too far from Julian, CA.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second Shots  
> A Mass Effect Modern AU Fan Fic  
> Pairing: Kaidan Alenko/FShepard  
> Disclaimer: Bioware owns Mass Effect

His smile made her heart do a little flip and he was looking at her with a curious intensity in those whiskey brown eyes.

She passed him a shot of Jack Daniels and then drew a glass of Molson. “You know they didn’t start stocking this until you asked for it,” she said conversationally as she handed him the beer. “You’ve been sticking to tea all night though, why the change?”

“These’ll be my only two drinks,” Kaidan promised her before knocking back the shot. She watched him swallow, and for a moment was twenty years in the past.

Then she shook her head and met his gaze again. “You wanna cash out now or wait?”

Kaidan glanced towards the table. “I’ll wait a bit. Liara and I rode together.”

Shepard recalled the first time she’d seen Kaidan again, Iris had mentioned he was single. Was he dating Liara now, or was it just a coworker thing…Stop that Shepard, she told herself. His relationship status is none of your business, you aren’t dating him and haven’t for a long time.

“How’d you meet Liara,” she asked in the same conversational time, glancing over at the blue eyed, dusky skinned, brunette. Liara was stunning, she thought idly.

“Med school,” Kaidan shrugged. “When I moved back to the states after the divorce, she offered me a position in the practice.”

“You are a long way from home,” Shepard noted. She hesitated then said, “I take it the divorce didn’t go well.”

“I-,” Kaidan began as he grimaced, then they were interrupted for a moment as Shepard had to fill a few more orders.

After filling orders for three of the waiters and waitresses, Kaidan gave her a half smile. “Ya know, I think your friends James and Garrus are trying to talk Steve and Tali into going on that hike with you tomorrow. Mind if I tag along, and we can talk more then?”

Shepard glanced at the busy bar and nodded, her own smile lopsided. “Yeah, I should have known better than to have started a serious conversation while working on a Friday anyway. See you tomorrow. Meet you at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. James has the details of what paths and area of the park.”  
Kaidan smiled at her again. “See you then.”

Shepard spent the rest of the evening busily filling drink orders, and wondering how rude she’d been in asking about Kaidan’s divorce. Hopefully she hadn’t blundered too badly…

~~

“So you two were getting pretty cozy with Cortez and Zorah last night,” Shepard remarked as she drove herself, Vega, and Garrus towards Cuyamaca Rancho the following morning.

Garrus looked faintly embraced. “Tali’s really into robot wars, Shepard. Can you blame me for being interested?” he asked.

“You know I’m giving you shit, Garrus,” Shepard replied with a grin.

“Finally,” James said from the passenger seat beside her. “’Cept around your nieta, you’ve been too serious the past few years.”  
Shepard sighed. “It’s getting easier, James, but its been a slow adjustment. Thane and I were together for years.”

“You seemed pretty interested in that Doctor last night,” Garrus said slyly from behind her.

Shepard snorted. “I dated him when I was in my 20s, Garrus, and he’s still attractive. I’d have to be blind to ignore that charm.”  
“Just charm or are you interested, Lola?” Vega asked curiously.

“Interested, maybe,” Shepard shrugged. “He went through a divorce a few years ago, don’t know if he might be a little gunshy as a result.” She lifted a brow. “You seemed pretty interested in Cortez last night.”

“Well you did introduce us, Lola,” James laughed. He looked thoughtful. “Esteban’s been through a lot. I’m interested in him, he’s interested in me, but if anything happens I think we’ll take it slow.”

“Not a bad thing,” Shepard said as they pulled into the park entrance and she navigated towards the parking lot where they were meeting with the othet three. 

“Hopefully it doesn’t rain,” Garrus said, looking skeptically at some gray clouds in the distance.”

“Only a 20% chance, Vakarian,” Shepard said airly. “And you won’t melt if it does rain.”

“If you say so,” Garrus replied dubiously.


	6. Are We Sure It's Fall?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiking in the mountains in September in California may or may not have been the best idea and Kaidan and Shepard have a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mass Effect belongs to Bioware

"Was this your idea, Shepard?" Vega groused as he dropped onto a flat rock. He took a canteen out of his pack and took a long swig as he glanced up at the unforgiving September sun. September in Southern California wasn't necessarily the most forgiving.

"I believe it was yours and Garrus's idea, James," Shepard replied in an amused tone as she settled onto another rock and rolled her shoulders. She slipped her pack off for a few minutes. "It's only another few miles back to the parking area, you can make it. You lugged heavier than that and farther than that in the Marines, and in weather a lot worse than this."

James grunted as Steve caught up to the group and settled onto the rock beside him, promptly grabbing the canteen from James without preamble and taking a drink. 

"He decided to sprint the last bit of distance," Steve said, laughter dancing in his eyes. "Probably more impressive if I watched you lift weights instead."

Shepard smirked as she watched a flush flicker across James's expression and he glanced away from Steve Cortez for a moment. You'd have to be blind to miss the attraction between those two. While James had a steady job as a personal trainer in San Diego, she had a feeling certain circumstances might convince him to move, and it might be nice to have another friend a bit closer in Crucible.

Kaidan Alenko wasn't much further behind Steve, chatting with Tali and Garrus. Tali's face was hidden amongst the scarf she was wearing to avoid sunburn, along with the SPF 50 she'd put on earlier. Shepard chuckled softly to herself as she saw Tali and Garrus moving side by side on the path, occasionally glancing at each other, and missing what Kaidan was saying.

Kaidan didn't look surprised at all. 

As they all settled in for a pit stop, Kaidan dropped himself onto the rock beside Shepard and offered her a piece of jerky. She accepted and offered him her canteen after taking a sip herself.

"Not a bad way to spend a Sunday," Kaidan remarked as he took a long sip of water. "Though I wouldn't mind it if it was a little cooler. Never going to quite get that here though."

"You've been in California for how many years now?" Shepard replied in an amused tone. "You want cooler weather and winter, go back to Canada, though I know you all get snow here sometimes in the winter."

"That's more the altitude than anything else," Kaidan replied. He shrugged. "You should come up the Vancouver sometime during the holidays, see winter there."

"I saw winter in Virginia," Shepard offered. She lifted a black brow at Kaidan. "Though I wouldn't mind visiting Vancouver if I had an invite." The cocked her head. 

"Well, depending on how things go, maybe you'll have one for Christmas," Kaidan suggested. 

"How things go, hmm?" Shepard chuckled softly. There was more confidence to Kaidan now than when they'd been in their twenties, but they both still felt a little awkward with all of this. Two decades did that. "You asking me on a proper date, Alenko?"

"Been thinking about it," Kaidan admitted. "We have a bit of history, and I think we're both in a better place now than we were when we broke up the first time to consider a shot at a relationship."

Shepard smiled, a little sadly, and she tilted her head. "We can try, though I'm a little messed up, Kaidan. It's been a rough few years. Not quite the spitfire I was in my 20s."

"I'm not looking for someone with the energy of a 20 year old, Audra," Kaidan replied in a light tone. "I'd rather date someone a bit closer to my age." He lifted his brows at her this time. "What do you say, give it a shot?"

"How about we go on a date, and we see where things go from there?" Shepard replied.

Kaidan gave her that trademark smiled that had always made her heart flip when they'd been younger. "I can work with that."

"Hey Lola, Alenko, you two done flirting over there?" James's voice broke in, and Shepard glanced over to see four rather amused sets of eyes looking at her and Kaidan. 

She fought back a blush and pushed herself to her feet. "Yeah, Vega. I'm ready. Lets see if you can keep up with me." She reshouldered her pack and started back down the path. Kaidan shot an almost challenging grin at Steve and James, and quickly caught up with Shepard.

James sputtered and quickly moved to follow, with an amused Steve on his heels.

Garrus shot a glance at Tali, who was laughing softly at of it. "Guess that makes you and I the only two sane ones here?" he asked, offering her a hand up off the rock.

"That's entirely possible, Garrus," Tali said with a smile. "We'll let them wear themselves out. Why don't you and I enjoy a leisurely stroll back?"

Garrus offered Tali his hand, and the two of them continued down the path after the others at a much more comfortable pace.

~~

Since Shepard usually worked weekend evenings, she and Kaidan settled on a Wednesday the following week when she was off to go out. They'd briefly considered going to Citadel, but Kaidan personally wanted something a bit quieter for his first date in years with Audra Shepard.

Kaidan had told her to dress casually, so she was in boots, jeans, and her old Navy hoodie. They were at a local park that had picnic areas, and Audra was slightly amused to see Kaidan standing next to his SUV with a picnic basket. How long had it been since she'd been on a simple picnic, she thought.

"Evening Audra," Kaidan greeted her, offering a hand. "I thought something quiet would suit us better." And at 6:30 in the evening on a school night, there weren't too many people at the park.

"Quiet is good," Audra agreed, letting Kaidan lead her down a path and towards a quiet corner of the park. She lifted a brow when she saw a small picnic shelter.

"Reserved it," Kaidan told her. "The park doesn't close until 23:00 so we have some time."

She helped him take a tablecloth out and spread it over the table in the shelter, watching as Kaidan pulled out sparkling apple juice, sandwich makings, fruit, and cute little pastries for dessert. She grinned at him as they took a seat next to each other on the bench. "Think of everything, don't you?" she asked as she poured them both sparkling apple juice into plastic wine glasses Kaidan had brought.

"I try," he replied. "A restaurant might be a little more traditional, but I thought this suited us more."

"It's also more private," Shepard said as the two of them began making sandwiches, easily passing the mayo and other items to each other in a familiar seeming way. She and Kaidan had meshed well together when they'd been younger, and it seemed that hadn't faded.

"How are you liking Crucible?" Kaidan asked after a few minutes.

"It's nice to be near family and old friends," Shepard admitted. She sighed, glancing out towards the trees surrounding the shelter for a moment. "I really did need a change of scenery. The first few months after Thane's death, everything reminded me of him. Now though, well, we knew Thane only had a few years left anyway. He told me he didn't expect me to spend my life mourning him." She smiled a little sadly.

Kaidan found himself reaching out and taking her hand in his. "I'm sorry you lost him" he replied honestly. "Though I'm not sorry you moved to Crucible. I never really forgot you. Haven't thought much about dating since Rahna and I divorced, then you show up on Crucible one day, and I start thinking back on the past. I'm wondering if there might be something to rekindle here."

Shepard lifted her hazel eyes to his. "Maybe, but I'm going to warn you, Kaidan, I don't always have my shit together. Nightmares and occasional episodes are part and parcel of my life now. I didn't handle my grief with Thane's death well and...well let's just say if James hadn't found me, I might not be here."

Kaidan's fingers tightened reflexively around her own and he let out a shaky breath. "Then I'm glad he found you." He hesitated a moment then ran his thumb lightly along her cheek. "Neither of us are who we are when we were younger, Shepard, we've both got out baggage, but I think there's still a spark here, don't you?"

"I do," she admitted. "If you're willing to deal with my issues, then I'm willing to give it a shot."

Slowly, Kaidan leaned forward when she didn't pull back, and brushed his lips lightly against her cheek. Shepard shifted, turning her face to his, so that his lips were on hers.

Just as slowly, they pulled back, both wearing a slightly amused, slightly hopeful smile.

"So we're going to do this?" Shepard asked.

"We're going to do this," Kaidan replied.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaidan and Audra settle into a routine and talk about the holidays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Mass Effect

Shepard listened to the gentle patter of rain against her window and settled more comfortably into the corner of the couch, a light blanket around her to ward off some of the chill that came with the rain. She hummed as she flicked to another article on her tablet. When she felt the head laying in her lap shift, she looked down into Kaidan's amber eyes and smiled in amusement as he made himself more comfortable. 

Kaidan was sprawled out across her couch, his head in her lap and his sock clad feet resting on the other arm of the sofa, dozing on a quiet, rainy Sunday afternoon. Shepard set her tablet on the side table and began running her fingers through Kaidan's thick, dark curls as he blinked up at her. 

"Hello sleepy head," she murmured softly, leaning down as he lifted himself up a moment for a light kiss. 

Shepard found she particularly liked Sunday afternoons like this, spent in her apartment or at Kaidan's house, ensconced on the couch or on the floor, watching a movie or reading, just generally enjoying each other's company. It had a thoroughly domestic feel to it, and though they'd only been dating for a number of weeks, they'd fallen into a routine almost naturally. They spent Sundays together, and usually had dinner together one or two nights a week when Shepard wasn't working at the Citadel.

"Hello," Kaidan replied with a slight smile. "I seem to have woken up in the lap of an angel."

Shepard snorted at that, her fingers still running through his curls. "Anything but an angel, Alenko. That'd be you, saving people and whatnot."

"Eh, we both saved people in our own way," He replied. He shifted and sat up, sliding an arm lightly around her waist. "You look like you've got something on your mind."

"Mm, yes," Shepard replied, letting her fingers drop from his hair as she leaned into his embrace. "Wondered what you were doing for Thanksgiving, America, not Canadian. I know it isn't the greatest holiday given its history, but Iris's family invited us over and the Citadel will be closed that Thursday."

Kaidan raised his dark brows. "Us?"

Shepard's lips twisted into a smile. "They know we're dating, I don't hide things from my family, and Iris told hers," she told him lightly. "And since your family is all in Vancouver they thought it might be nice to invite you, unless you're going to Liara's?"

"I've got a standing invitation," he admitted. "With her wife's family, but I wouldn't mind joining you if Kole and Iris are amiable."

"They've also invited Jack and Zaeed," Shepard told him. "I think Vega's going to be with his family in San Diego, and I have no idea what Garrus is doing."

"You keep tabs on your old buddies, don't you?" Kaidan asked.

Shepard shrugged. "Other than Kole, Iris, and Irikah, I don't have any family. Garrus and James are almost like younger brothers. I keep tabs on my family, even if we aren't blood kin. I wouldn't have made it this far without them."

"If Iris's family doesn't mind the extra mouths, I'll be glad to come," Kaidan said after a moment, cocking his head to meet her hazel eyes. "The prospect of having someone to spend holidays with other than a coworker is kind of nice." He smiled. "Got your passport?"

"Christmas, Vancouver?" she asked, recalling their banter weeks before.

"Probably New Years, actually," Kaidan replied. "A few of the other doctors in the practice have taken time off around Christmas, and I haven't been there as long. I also don't have small children who are out of school, so." He shrugged.

"Fair." Audra shrugged. "Sure, I'll go with you to Vancouver. I never did meet your family, though I talked to your mother a few times on the phone."

"Well, I'm sure you'll make a better impression than my ex-wife," Kaidan said.

"Given that she left you, I don't think that will be hard," Audra snorted in response.

~~~

When Kaidan climbed into her SUV that November Thursday, she lifted her brows at him.

"Button down, for family holiday?" 

Kaidan shrugged. "Figured I'd make a good impression."

Shepard snorted as she pulled out of the driveway and guided her SUV down the street. She was in an paid of faded black jeans and a hoodie, fairly typical for her off days. "Kaidan, I'm fairly certain you'd make a good impression just being there. Plus you're good with kids, so you'll do fine with Irikah and Iris's nephew."

"Oh?" Kaidan tilted his head.

"Iris's mother and father are raising her nephew," Shepard told him, her eyes on the road. "They don't tell me what happened to her brother and his wife and I don't ask. Kole knows, but he hasn't shared it with me. I think it was rather painful for them, and within the past few years."

Kaidan nodded in understanding. It was no wonder, he thought, that Iris's mother and father had invited their son-in-law's stepmother over for the holidays. Everyone in the family had experienced loss in the past few years, too much, really.

Sometimes the best medicine for grief was the company of others who'd experienced similar losses. Shepard had mentioned something to that extent regarding a support group she'd attended a few times in San Diego before moving to Crucible. 

"Got the food?" Kaidan asked, changing the subject.

Shepard jerked her chin towards the back and Kaidan glanced over his shoulder, seeing the corn casserole and a couple bottles of soda that Shepard was contributing. He'd learned over the weeks of dating her that when she didn't mind company bringing alcohol over to her place when they were visiting, but anything left when home them, and she never bought any herself, unless it was for someone else.

He knew of her issues with alcohol, and her attempt during the first year after her husband had died. He was even more grateful she'd survived, and was taking obvious steps to remove temptation and aid in her own recovery. Since rekindling the spark between them, Kaidan found he wanted to spend more and more time in her company. 

They were both several years older than they'd been the first time, and perhaps in a better place for the two of them to be in a relationship together. 

His thoughts were cut short as Shepard pulled into the driveway of a sprawling ranch house surrounded by trees. She grinned at him as she turned off the car. "Ready to face the horde?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Kaidan found himself grinning back.


End file.
